In general, the present application relates to a sample-image acquisition apparatus, a sample-image acquisition method and a sample-image acquisition program. For example, the present application can be properly applied to a field in which the image of a biological sample is enlarged and observed.
A biological sample such as a tissue resected segment is fixed on a piece of slide glass and, if necessary, reposited after being stained with a color. In general, when the reposit time becomes long, the resected segment deteriorates and its staining color fades away so that, the tissue resected segment becomes difficult to visually recognize by merely making use of a microscope. In addition, in some cases, a biological sample is diagnosed at a facility other than the institution such as a hospital at which the biological sample has been prepared. If the biological sample is transferred from the institution to the facility by post, in general, a certain period of time is needed to transfer the sample.
Addressing the problems described above, inventors of the present application have proposed an apparatus for repositing a biological sample in the form of image data. For more information on such an apparatus, the reader is advised to refer to documents such as Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-222801.